Improvement in priming cartridges



CZ/Z/m i drffidcfeg as clearly. shown in Fig. 1.

UNITED STATES' PATENT (Damien.A

GEORGE n. FITCH, QF KALMvIAz'Oo,l MICHIGAN.

l IMPROVEMENT IN PR|M|NG CARTRIDGES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. FITCH, of `^Kalamazoo, in thecounty of Kalamazoo and .l State of'l Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cartridges; and I uiting the powder in the cartridge-caseat various points-that is to say, at thefront, or

front and rear combined, or in the center, as may be-desired-andusing in combination therewith an accelerating-charge of powder, as hereinafter explained. 4 Y

It is well known that but alimited quantity of powder can-be burned in guns where the cartridge is ignited 'at .the rear ofthe charge, 'and that, as the powder in'such eases burns at the rear rst, the ball leaves the barrelbefore all the powder is consumed, and consequently a portion of lthe powder is blown out' of the gun unburned. Where the bore ofthe gun 1s small, a given quantity of powder will necessarily occupy more longitudinal space in -the barrel, and' will, of course, require a longertime for its consumption, and in such cases it follows that a still smaller portion of the powder will be utilized, and the ball consequently projected-with a decreased power.

To remedy these difficulties I construct the vcartridge as shown in the drawings, Vall 'of which are longitudinal sectional views of a cartridge, all being` modifica-tions of the same general idea.

In Figure l, A represents the cartridge-case, and B Vthe bullet, united in the usual manner. Within the case A, I secure a longitudinal pin or stem, a, which is secured to the center of the base ofthe case by solder, or in any other suitable manner. This stem a is made of such a length that there will be just room enough for a cap, c, between its front end and the base of the ball when the la-tter is inserted in place,

Specication forming part of 'Letters Patent No. 58,800, dated October 16, 1866.

It will be seen that when the hammer strikes the base of the case A at the point where the stem a is attached, the latter will be driven forward and ignite the fnlminate of the cap c, which, being at Vthe front ot' the charge of powder, will intlame the latter at that point', and that,. .l n 1rnii1g from the front backward, none of thepowder can escape fromthe barrel without being burned. W'hen using a cartridgel of this style Itill it with two grades of powder, as represented, thatin front being coarse or slowburnin g, to start the bullet gradually, and thus permit it to take the riding without str/ipping, and then, as the ball nears the muzzle, the finer powder at the rea-r takes fire and burns quickly, thus following up the bullet with an accelerating force, besides utilizing the'entire quantity of powder used.

Fig. 2 represents a cartridge having the central stem, a, and thecap clocated at the front, the same as in Fig. 1, with the addition of fulminate in the rim or ange, as in the ordinary cartridge. In firing this cartridge, the hammer of the arm must be made to strike the \cartridge. both at the center) of the base, op-L posite the end of pin (1 and on the ilange e, as shown in Fig. 2.l To accomplish this thev hammer H may be provided with the points o n, as there represented, or it may have its face extended in a straight line from n, as may be found most expedient.

It will be seen that when thus arranged the powder will be ignited simultaneously at the front and rear, and that when thus burnlng from both ends double t-heamount ot' powder can be burned in the same length 'of time -that could be if burning from one end only. In this case the acceleratingcharge of ne powder may be omitted, if desired, as a cartridge thus constructed and `ignited will burn all the powder required before the bullet can leave the barrel, especially in long barrels,such as are used by infantry troops. In arms having short barrels, such as carbines and pistols, the accelerating charge may be found necessary, however.

Fig. 3 represents a cartridge in which I accomplish the same object by igniting the charge at thel center. In this case-the. central stem or-pin consists4 `of two parts, the part a' being secured to the base of the case A, and the other part, a, bei'ng secured to the 2 saco@ rear endof the bullet B', as shown clearly in i Figs. 3 and 4.. A cap, c, is placed on the end 0f one of the parts of the stem in such a position that when the pin ais driven forward by the hammer the cap =will b e forced against the end of the stem a and exploded, thus igniting the powder at the center of the charge, from whenceit will burn both forward and backward. thus insuring the burning of the entire charge.

Fig. 4 represents a .slight modification of this last style, the front end of the pin a in this ease being made cup-shaped to receive the fulminate, as shown, and thus avoid the necessity'f using a cap, which would be more liable to become displaced or lost. It is obviousfthat this cup form of stem may be used also in the other eases, if desired.

'In order to prevent the accidental explosion of the cartridge by handling or transportation, l propose to makethe base concave, as shown in Fig. 5, so'that there will be no danger of accidentally hittingtlhe stem a and prematurely exploding tlie'charge.

Itis also obvious that my invention may be applied to artillery as well as to small-arms, especially in all breech-loadin g styles of small caliber.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. Igniting the cartridge at the front by means of the stem a, in combination with the accelerating-charge, as 4shown in Fig. 1, and as herein described.

2. Igniting the charge at both front and rear, as sho-wn in Fig. 2, and as herein setl forth.

3. Providing a cartridge with the stems a and a', when arranged to act in' combination,

as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, for the purpose of igniting the charge at the center, substantially as set forth.

GEO. A. FITCH.

l/Vitnesses:

W. C. DODGE, HENRY R. WALTON. 

